When the scale causes more issues...Growing up and the issues that arise from early obsessions with food tracking, weight etc.

Good day dear reader. I felt that I needed to vent some things into the void. I saw a post on Facebook about a mother who wanted to start their kid on a weight loss app....and just like that ALL the crap from my childhood came flooding back.

I need to give some obscure history with my life and family. I am the youngest and as such, there was a few times that my elder siblings believed I was spoiled...and honestly, I probably was. I just didn't know any better. I don't think my upbringing was bad per say....I had a home with food to eat and parents who didn't beat me. I was held to high standards and as such, sometimes felt compared to my other siblings who things came easier for. 

My mother has always been a fairly health-conscious person. She would constantly go to the gym, eat healthily, devote her time to things that were important. Unfortunately, I fell under the category of the runt of the litter (The one with the most health/body size issues). When I was a kid, things seemed easier. But once puberty started making itself known, my mother decided the whole family needed to join a weight loss venture called Shape-Up. We had to read books, weigh ourselves constantly (or at least that is what it felt like), and write down everything we ate. We would go to these classes once a week...I think. Nothing worse than having an older lady use a flexible tape measuring tape around your middle and criticize your inches. 

Some of the more scar inducing quotes that have been in my brain since youth are things like this, "you are grazing all the time (when having a snack), suck in your tummy, you are getting flabby, if you just exercised....or walked...you could lose your middle." Not to mention a complete hatred of the clothes I would wear...I absolutely abhorred scratchy clothes, jeans etc. I would prefer to wear stuff that was comfy. Not to mention my mother would constantly talk about my belly when I wore a tighter shirt. I would also be talked about my gait. I would walk with my toes pointed outward slightly. I would be constantly berated on how I walked (EVEN TODAY!!!!) she talked about how I walked like a duck. For years I have always watched how I walked making sure I wouldn't make any noise to cause her to look at my feet. 

*As an adult, I have finally found a zen/clothing that makes me feel a little more me. I feel confident and I like the style I have. 

After the Shape-Up class was ended, it was a constant barrage of sucking it in, weighing myself, getting berated when I was hungry. In high school I went through a phase of anorexia....or at least as much as I could. I wouldn't eat and would constantly write down what I consumed. I tried to do ab work out as much as possible. I would go to the classes my mom wanted me to. I would go to the gym. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror because I would constantly hear my mom's critique. To this day I am still having trouble recognizing when I need to eat...not to mention the joy of chronic nausea. 

I didn't fit the mold...my BMI was bigger than kids my age...and WHY CAN'T YOU LOSE WEIGHT! was a consistent reminder from my mom. I would go to the gym like a good little girl to show my mom that I am not ignoring her...bla bla bla, trying to win her acceptance with who I am. 

When I got into college, there were some discoveries of the health variety. A heart rate that was abnormally high, thyroid issues, gall bladder poisoning and gastroparesis. 

It wasn't until I was in my 30's until I found out I had PCOS with all the joyful additions of insulin resistance. So, it is basically IMPOSSIBLE to lose weight in the normal ways. I have gastroparesis and cannot afford to do things out of pocket for weight loss drugs (It would cause a slew of other issues in my already weird body).

Honestly, I feel that if my mother had created a safe place where it actually felt ok to be a little bigger and didn't fit the mold, I would be less neurotic when it comes to food and weight. 

I just want to say, I am not blaming her and even though it still is tough. I know that (I) have to be happy with myself....and I think I am getting to that point. I have a husband who treats me well and loves my curves. I am healthy and I am learning how to speak up for myself when it comes to medical weigh ins etc. 

Now, I focus on doing exercise my way (When my plantar fasciitis plays nice). I exercise by doing dancing on Dance Central on my Xbox 360. I also do the Figure 8 routines from Body FX. I loved doing dancing and hip-hop. Because it didn't fit the mold of exercise in my mom's view...I would usually have to give it up (There were other underlying reasoning...and I am sure the money was an issue too.) I don't go to a gym or pay a monthly fee. I exercise in ways that make me happy. 

To this day....I hate weight loss "recommendations"

(Yes, I love Shane Koyczan)

New Year: Writing more and frustrations galore

Believe it or not dear reader, I have a degree in journalism. I worked for years on newspapers, crafting articles, and going to the theater to help the local community know what was going on. I loved everything about those jobs.

As of now, I am the managing editor for a metaphysical magazine. It is a great experience for me. I am not paid to do any of it, but the rewards are felt in other ways. I am learning more about psychology through the use of visuals and I get to contact people who are in the field. I have learned what it takes to build a magazine, as well as general language skills being polished. Through this job, I have been able to have a book published with my co-author (the CEO of the company). That is one thing I never thought I would get to in my 30's. https://a.co/d/0RkBxGB

Honestly, I miss having my own column about emergency preparedness and imparting wisdom about how to survive. I have been doing a lot of research when it comes to ChatGPT. I think it is a valuable tool for helping keep things straight, but those people who are using it to write articles, books, and other language filled items...it is a form of cheating. Academic dishonesty was one of those things that I couldn't believe other people would do. Copy things word for word...paste off the internet...and pass things off as their own. Yes, there is a way to properly citate things that have been used, but blatant stealing...that is just wrong. Using any form of AI to completely write something and pass it off as your own is a form of cheating. No one is learning anything. I shudder to think what will happen if people continue to pass it off as their own.

And yes...I do love memes. But now on to the health frustrations.

As many people have surmised, I have a significant amount of health issues and each of them cause delightful things to happen to me. I see a few separate doctors to keep all my levels fairly normal. My list is thus, (Insulin resistant PCOS, Celiacs, Lactose Intolerance, Chronic Nausea, Sleep Apnea, Thyroid Issues, Plantar Fasciitis, Tinnitus, Gastroparesis, TMJ, and more). I recently have been working with my Endocrinologist to discuss what is needed. 

It is always disheartening to hear from a doctor..."You will not lose any weight with the slew of issues facing you right now...and yet losing weight will help resolve a few of them." I already have a lot of issues with losing weight and food growing up and anxiety to boot...so it has become a real issue. However, this endo has been a dream. He has actually helped me find a method that will help reduce my insulin resistance (my A1c and all that jazz is completely normal). 

And because I am a human with kids living paycheck to paycheck...even with health insurance, I couldn't afford any of those fancy weight loss injections (which in case you didn't know...can cause gastroparesis or make it even worse.) I don't wish that gunk on anyone so I was adamant on no injections and surgery would not help either. We found something that I could take every day that would not bat heads with any of my other medications and would not make my stuff worse. Hopefully, my insurance will cover it partially. Thank heavens for good doctors who actually LISTEN.

Thank you for reading my rant. Have a lovely week, month, and year. New writings will be coming your way soon.